Reasons why Singapore Hip-Hop (SGHIPHOP) scene never made it & Why I urge people to boycott Rhythm & Poetry: Racism

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Back in 1999 when I was in my early teens, I was one of the few audience/volunteers to witness Hip-Hop scene being displayed on a large scale at the R&P 1999 at NYC Youth Park, where teens & people of all walks of life came in unison to enjoy Hip-Hop culture presented to them.

Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves and supporting from B-boys dancers, Turntablists as well as Rappers on stage but behind it there were so many racist undertones by the organisers and how they treat staff of a different race or in plain simple English racial biasness.

I even had one organizer bossing me around like I owe it to:”You are a chink and you do not have a reason to be in Hip-Hop. Stick to your Andy Laus & Aaron Kwoks.”. To be honest really, the problem was that I can’t sing to save my life if not I would be singing in front of live concerts and driving a Ferrari like Aaron Kwok in Hong Kong.

Anyway, I wasn’t allow to participate and partake in a culture, which I feel is exciting, by egoistic racist organizations except to be their volunteer as well as their “blame buddy” to ridicule and mock. These racist bigots or as they call themselves “SGHIPHOP PIONEERS” love claim to be authoritive figures and voices that supposedly created the scene with their self-righteous “know-it-all” bigotry but where are they now? If they were that passionate and influential in the culture as they claim to be on their own viral video, you would be doing proper Hip-Hops shows still. But instead after R&P 2009, there was no major shows at all. Instead these organizations cease to exist because the manner which they conducted themselves in limiting talented people of other races to perform as well as being very dishonest paymasters. Some of these organization close down while others change their name to try and hide this blackmark which they created upon themselves. While some continues to brag about what they did in year 1978 or so and forgot that we are living in 2009.

I agree that they are “SGHIPHOP Pioneers” but for being a bunch of racist bigots who pioneered racist practise and racial biasness into local Hip-hop music.

Eventually, this left a bitter feeling in performers as well as general audiences, who noticed these sort of bias practise, and decided not to support the local Hip-Hop scene at all. Thus creates a lack of introduction of new audience as well as not maintaing the core audience.

This racist rejection only made me more determine to maintain a simple civil approach in engaging talent of any race, language or religion as long they can fulfill simple rules likes being on time, performing and behaving professionally. That is my goal. We might have a strong disagreement on opinions and views but if we can work together I am all out for it. Because my goal is to achieve a positive result and promote talent.

I have dropped a chinese rapper who was a “no-show” as well as coming late for a few bookings which I had. As I need to uphold some professional standings of my principles, I had to make that decision base on this. This chinese rapper pleaded to me that we are of the same race that we should “look out” for each other but truth to the matter if corporations were to base on the bias race factor between employee & employer, I doubt many would not last this long until today. Organizations which presents equal opportunities to every race and religion is usually the one that lasts longer

Just yesterday I just attended the R&P 2009 with hopes to see changes in the people and culture in the local hip-hop music scene. I applaud the efforts of FreakZ & 65hope in doing an event and trying to make the scene more unified regardless of this racist stagnant but unfortunately the mentality of the attendees and some participants have never move beyond the racist mindset they have from R&P 1999. R&P is nothing more but a racist convention meant to mock other people’s race and stroke ones’ ego to fill good about their race being involve in Hip-Hop music & culture.